When the Curtain opens, you again see a room, but quite different from the first one.  There is a door on one side, and at the back is a sort of tall box with closed doors in the front of it, a kind of cupboard.  On shelves at the sides of the room are some toys and packages, and a bag, nearly full, leans against the wall.  There are two people in the room.  One of them, of course, is Santa Claus, but oh, how sick he looks.  The other person is a woman, you will see, and she must be Mrs. Santa Claus.  There are two other figures that look a good deal like people, but they are only big toys that Santa Claus and his wife have been making, a soldier on one side, and a doll on the other.

SANTA CLAUS, who is sitting, wrapped up in a great blanket wrapper, and is leaning his head on his hand, while he holds a cane in the other is saying, What is the use of working any longer, for if I can’t carry the presents to the children, what is the good of finishing them?

But you might feel better at the last moment, says MRS. SANTA CLAUS, who is tieing a sash on the big doll that stands beside her.

That’s true, says SANTA CLAUS.  Well, I believe I’ll finish this soldier, then.  He’s the last one I need to make, and he’s all done except to have his cheeks painted.  I’ll get my paint out and finish him.

So Santa Claus rises up very stiffly and painfully, and hobbles across the room to get his paint and paintbrush.  Then he sits down again in front of the big toy soldier, and paints both its cheeks a fine bright red.  Just as he is finishing, there comes a knock at the door.

Come in, says MRS. SANTA CLAUS. And in walk Jack and Polly, hand in hand, wearing the fairy spectacles and the wishing cap, one holding the bottle and the other the spoon.

Donner and Blitzen! exclaims SANTA CLAUS, laying down his brush, if it isn’t Polly and Jack!

Oh, Santa, cries POLLY, we got your letter and the wishing-cap—­

And the fairy spectacles, says JACK.

And we’ve brought you some of father’s medicine, continues POLLY, because it made Nurse Mary quite well—­her back, you know.

And her joints, adds JACK.

And you have to take it from children, POLLY goes on. One of them holds the spoon—­Here POLLY holds out the spoon.

And the other pours out the medicine, says JACK, and with that he pours it out. It’s very bitter, he adds, as Polly holds it out for Santa Claus to take.

Then Santa Claus opens his mouth, and swallows the dose, with a wry face and a shudder.

Is it horrid? asks POLLY.

Horrid! says SANTA CLAUS.

But it will make you well, you know, says POLLY encouragingly.
Only you have to wait a little for the medicine to work.